Large injection molds may weigh hundreds of pounds. To lift them, a lifting eye is often screwed into a recess defined in the mold. This of course is a rather cumbersome process, and, particularly, it leaves much to be desired when there is a need to lift the two mold halves together while they are in the closed position. Generally in that circumstance, a cable is tied to a lifting eye of each mold, to hold the two molds together as they are lifted by a lifting hook. This, however, is not only cumbersome, but it is potentially dangerous should there be a failure of the cable or the like.
The invention of this application constitutes an improvement on my application Ser. No. 904,618 filed Sept. 8, 1986 and entitled Mold Pin Lock. In this particular embodiment, the modification of the mold to permit lifting is entirely without moving parts, and is constructed to hold the mold parting line of a pair of mold halves closed when lifting, without cables. Additionally, each individual mold halve may be lifted safely and without difficulty, as an alternative to lifting the two mold halves while positioned together in their closed position, with equal ease. The specific design used herein does not significantly weaken the mold, so the modification of this invention has no significant bearing on mold life or fragility. Likewise, the mechanism that permits lifting of molds and mold halves is completely simple, cannot malfunction, and is so simple to use that no written instructions are needed.